Non-transferable entitlement identity card

ABSTRACT

A non-transferable entitlement identity card ( 1 ), with a contact-free readable and writable chip ( 5 ) with an antenna ( 6 ) and a loop ( 9 ), which can be pushed through an eye ( 13 ) or similar aperture in the clothing of the entitled user and can be secured in such a way that it can only be released by destroying it, consists of two sections ( 3,4 ) capable of being adhesively bonded to one another by surfaces. The chip ( 5 ) with the antenna ( 6 ) and the end sections ( 11,12 ) of the loop ( 9 ) are arranged in the surfaces of the two sections ( 3,4 ) which have been bonded together.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a non-transferable entitlement identity cardwith a contact-free readable and writable chip.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An entitlement identity card is known (WO 96/11451). It is formed by acard, which features a hole. As a connecting element, use is made, forexample, of a plastic strip, which is inserted through this hole and,for example, through the hole in a zip fastener slide. In order toprevent the entitlement identity card from being released from the zipfastener slide, and therefore running the risk of being attached to theclothing of a person without entitlement, with the known entitlementcard the ends of the plastic strip are indissolubly connected to oneanother. This connection is made, for example, by a locking mechanism,e.g. similar to a cable connector; in other words, in such a way that itis destroyed after opening. Persons who have such plastic strips whichhave not yet been locked together, however, are easily able to misusethe known non-assignable card, by cutting through the strip secured tothe zip fastener slide and replacing it by a new one.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a simply-formed,non-assignable entitlement identity card which functions free ofcontact, with substantially improved security against misuse.

With the entitlement identity card according to the invention, the chipand the antenna are located in areas adhesively bonded to one anotherthat are between the two sections of the entitlement identity card. Theconnecting element consists of a loop, the ends of which are adhesivelybonded into the surfaces bonded to one another between the two sections.

This means that the securing of the entitlement identity card to theclothing of the entitled person is effected by inserting the open stripor other connecting element from which the strip is formed, through theeye of a zip fastener slide on the clothing of the person withentitlement. Then, for example, adhesively bonding the two sections withthe chip and the antenna between them, and in this situation jointlyadhesively bonding the two ends of the connecting element between thetwo sections.

The loop is therefore firmly anchored in the adhesive bonding materialat the joined surfaces of the two sections. Misuse by persons who are inpossession of such connecting elements, and who intend to cut off theconnecting element which has been bonded into place, in order to removeit from the entitlement identity card and secure it with a newconnecting element to the clothing of a non-entitled person, istherefore practically excluded.

Specifically, if an attempt is made for the two sections to be pulledapart, in order to remove the loop with its ends bonded between them,the antenna is destroyed and/or torn off the chip, because the antennaand/or the chip are secured to both sections after being bondedtogether.

To achieve this, the chip with the antenna can be located on one of thetwo sections. The other section features the surface provided with theadhesive. It is also possible, however, for both sections, or only thesection provided with the chip and the antenna, to be provided with anadhesive surface, which extends at least over a part of the antennaand/or the chip.

For preference, the loop then runs with its end sections transverselyover the antenna or at least one of its windings, and is therefore alsoadhesively bonded to it. If an attempt is made to pull out the end ofthe loop, the antenna bonded to the end of the loop will therefore bedestroyed.

According to the invention, a simply designed data carrier for thecontact-free monitoring of persons is provided with a non-transferablecoating for taking advantage of a service, which interacts “hands-free”with a writing or reading device, such as an access control device, forexample of ski lifts and cable railway systems.

The entitlement identity is for preference designed in card format. Thetwo sections may consist, for example, of paper, cardboard, a film, orsome other flat material.

If at least one of the two sections of the entitlement identity card isdesigned to be transparent, at least in the area at which the loop isbonded in place, manipulations of the loop in this area will be visibleduring an inspection.

The surface provided with adhesive may extend over the entire surface ofone or both sections. Regardless, in any event, one part of the contactsurface between the two sections must be provided with adhesive, andspecifically in the area of the chip and/or at least a part of theantenna.

The loop may be a strip, a string, a filament, or similar longitudinalconnecting element, which can be pushed through an eye or similaropening on the clothing. Such an opening, for example, can be the eye inthe tab of a zip fastener slide, a buttonhole, a loop secured to theclothing, through the interstices of a pullover, or similar aperture onthe clothing.

If the connection element is cut off outside the entitlement identitycard, and then reconnected in order to be secured to the clothing of theperson without entitlement, for example by means of an adhesive strip,this is in most cases visible and therefore easily checked.

In order to prevent cutting, however, it is possible for a loop made ofa material of high strength to be used from the outset. In other words,for example, instead of a flexible connecting element such as a strip, arigid connecting element can be used, such as a bar or similar shapedpart, made in particular of metal, such as wire.

The antenna consists for preference of several windings arranged inspiral fashion. It can, for example, be manufactured by pressing,etching, or stamping. It may also consist of wire, which is bonded tothe chip. As a result, in the event of the two sections being pulledapart by force, the wire will be torn from the chip.

If the loop consists of a bar, then at least one end of the bar can bebent and bonded in such a way that it engages behind the windings of theantenna, so that, in the event of an attempt to draw the bar out of theidentity card by force, it will be destroyed.

The entitlement identity card may be printed with validity dates, but isto advantage even without validity dates printed on it, since then, inthe event of illegal sale of the identity card, the purchaser will haveno means of checking whether the card illegally offered to him is stillat all valid.

The two sections which form the identity card consist for preference ofa part which features a fold line in the centre area. Accordingly, theidentity card is formed by folding the part together and then adhesivelybonding the two halves or sections.

The loop or bar can be adhesively bonded in the area of the fold line orat the opposite end of the entitlement identity card. This means that,with the entitlement identity card secured to the clothing, the foldline may run at the top or the bottom edge of the card. The embodimentin which the fold line runs at the lower edge is of advantage, forexample, if a bar is bonded in place under preliminary tension.Specifically, if the bar is separated outside the card, the areas of thebar which are bonded to the antenna will pull on the antenna, as aresult of which it will be destroyed.

The adhesive surface on the inner side of one or both sections of theentitlement identity card according to the invention may be providedwith a protective film or similar covering. This covering is drawn offor removed in some other manner before the two parts are bondedtogether, and, in the case of two sections connected together by a foldline, before the folding takes place.

The handling and use of the entitlement identity card according to theinvention is rendered substantially easier by the fact that a carrier isused which consists of a multiplicity of fields separable bypredetermined separation lines. The two sections of an entitlementidentity card are bonded on each field. After the separation of a fieldwith the two sections of the entitlement identity card, the carrier thenforms the protective covering.

The carrier may be made of paper, cardboard, a film, or another flatmaterial. The predetermined separation points may be formed, forexample, by a perforation.

For preference the carrier is formed by a strip with transversepredetermined separation points. The carrier can then, for example, bewound into a roll or folded together as a stack.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in greater detail hereinafter by way ofexample on the basis of the drawings in which:

FIG. 1: A plan view of an embodiment of the entitlement identity cardaccording to the invention;

FIG. 2: A longitudinal section through the entitlement identity cardaccording to FIG. 1 along the line 2—2, whereby the individual layershave been represented as exaggeratedly thick for better illustration;

FIG. 3: A plan view of an embodiment of the entitlement identity cardaccording to FIG. 1, before folding together and the bonding in of thebar;

FIG. 4: Schematic view of a carrier, onto which the folded entitlementidentity cards are adhesively bonded one after another;

FIG. 5: Plan view of the inner side of one of the two sections ofanother embodiment of the entitlement identity card;

FIG. 6: Plan view of the inner side of one of the two sections of yetanother embodiment of the entitlement identity card.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to FIG. 3, the entitlement identity card 1′ consists, beforefolding together, of two sections 3, 4, which are separated by a foldline 2. The two sections 3, 4 are accordingly formed by a part or sheet,for example of a plastic film.

Secured to one section 4 is a contact-free readable and writablemicrochip 5 and an antenna 6 attached to the microchip 5. The antennaconsists of a conductor which forms several windings in spiral fashion,and may be located on the section 4 by a printing process, for example.

The sections 3, 4, each feature on their inner sides adhesive layers 7,8, respectively. Consequently, with the entitlement identity card 1,after folding together according to FIGS. 1 and 2, both sections 3, 4,are securely bonded to one another. The adhesive layer 8 of the section4 may also cover the antenna 6 and, if applicable, the chip 5.

In order to be able to secure the entitlement identity card 1 to theclothing of the user, a loop or bar 9 is provided to function as theconnective element. Bar 9 is bonded with its end sections 11, 12,represented as a dotted line in FIG. 1, between the adhesive layers 7,8, of the two sections 3, 4.

Before the two sections 3, 4, are bonded together, the bar 9 is pushedthrough the eye 13 in the tab 14 of a zip fastener runner, not shown, onthe clothing of the user.

The end sections 11, 12, of the bar 9 are angled in such a way that theycross the antenna 6 (FIG. 1) and are accordingly adhesively bondedwithin an area subtended by the antenna 6. In addition to this, as canbe seen in FIG. 2, the end sections 11, 12, are curved at their ends insuch a way that they engage behind the antenna 6. If an attempt is madeto pull the bar 9 out of the entitlement identity card, this willdestroy the antenna 8, and therefore render the identity card 1unusable.

The embodiment according to FIG. 5 differs from that of FIGS. 1 and 2essentially in that between the two sections, of which only the section4 is shown in FIG. 5, a bar 9 is clamped in place in such a way that, asthe arrow 15 indicates, it is subject to preliminary tension. The bar 9is adhesively bonded to the antenna 6. If the bar 9 is separated, forexample at 17, this will cause the two parts of the bar 9 to move inaccordance with the arrows 15 into the position 9 a, 9 b, represented asdotted lines, and specifically also in the area of the antenna 6, as aresult of which this will be destroyed. While with the embodimentaccording to FIGS. 1 and 2 the fold line 2 is arranged at the top, inthe embodiment according to FIG. 5 it is arranged at the bottom.

The same applies to the embodiment according to FIG. 6, whichincidentally also differs from the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIG.5 in that the chip 5 is only secured to the part 6′ of the antenna 6 atthe section 4, while the loop or bar 9 forms the other part of theantenna. The two end sections 11, 12, of the bar 9 are in this situationformed and arranged in such a way that, with the identity card 1 bondedtogether, they come in contact with the two end sections 18, 19, of theantenna part 6′.

The adhesive surfaces 7, 8, with the sheet 1′ folded up as shown in FIG.3, are provided with a protective covering, for example of paper.

According to FIG. 4, the protective covering can be formed by the fields20 of a striplike carrier 21, onto which the sheets 1′ are adhesivelybonded one behind another by their adhesive surfaces 7, 8. The fields 20are separated from one another by predetermined separation lines 22running transversely. The striplike carrier 21, with the sheets 1′bonded to it, may, for example, be unwound from a supply roll 23, or maybe folded to form a supply stack.

What is claimed is:
 1. An identity card assembly comprising: a card unitformed of two sections, the sections of said card unit having adjacentfaces that are bonded to each other by adhesive material; an elongatedconnecting element dimensioned to be fitted through an aperture on theclothing of a wearer, said connecting element having opposed endsections, the opposed end sections of said connecting element beingbonded to the portions of the card unit sections that are bonded to eachother; and a chip containing electronically readable data and an antennaconnected to said chip, said chip and said antenna being located betweenthe card unit sections wherein at least a portion of said antenna islocated between the portions of the card unit sections to which theconnecting element end sections are bonded wherein, the connectingelement end sections and said antenna are bonded to the card unitsections so that removal of either connecting element end sectionresults in the destruction of said antenna or the disconnection of saidchip and said antenna.
 2. The identity card assembly of claim 1, whereinsaid chip and said antenna are secured to at least one of the card unitsections; and at least one card unit section is provided with anadhesive layer that bonds the card unit sections together.
 3. Theidentity card assembly of claim 2, wherein said adhesive layer formed onat least one of the card unit sections is covered with a removableprotective covering that is removed before the two card unit sectionsare bonded together.
 4. The identity card assembly of claim 1, whereinat least one card unit section has the adhesive material at least in thearea of said chip or said antenna, and the connecting element ends arebonded by said adhesive material to said chip or said antenna.
 5. Theidentity card assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the two cardunit sections is designed to be at least partially transparent.
 6. Theidentity card assembly of claim 1, wherein said card unit is formed as asingle piece and the card unit sections are separated from each otheralong a fold line.
 7. The identity card assembly of claim 1, wherein:said antenna has two disconnected end sections that are bonded to saidcard unit; and said connecting element is in the form of a conductivemember that has end sections, wherein the end sections of saidconnecting element are bonded to the end sections of said antenna unitso that said connecting element functions as part of said antenna. 8.The identity card assembly of claim 1, wherein: each said connectingelement end section crosses over said chip or said antenna and is bondedbetween the card unit sections by the adhesive; and said connectingelement end sections are curved and said connecting element end sectionsare bonded to said card unit so that each connecting element end sectionfaces said chip or said antenna so that the pulling of either saidconnecting element end section away from said card unit results in theend section moving across said chip or said antenna so as to destroysaid antenna or disconnect said chip and said antenna.
 9. The identitycard assembly of claim 1, wherein the connecting element is formed as abar.
 10. The identity card assembly of claim 9, wherein said bar has atleast one end that engages over said antenna.
 11. The identity cardassembly of claim 10, wherein said bar is bonded to said card unit to beunder tension.
 12. An identity card assembly comprising: a card unitformed of two sections, the sections of said card unit having adjacentfaces that are bonded to each other; a chip containing electronicallyreadable data and an antenna connected to said chip, said chip and saidantenna being located between the card unit sections wherein at least aportion of said chip or said antenna is located between portions of thecard unit sections that are bonded to each other; and a connectingelement dimensioned to be looped through a clothing aperture, saidconnecting element having opposed end sections, each said connectingelement end section being located between the card unit sections thatare bonded to each other and crossing over said antenna and being bondedbetween said card unit sections, wherein separation of the card unitsections to remove either said connecting element end section results indisconnection of said chip and said antenna or destruction of saidantenna.
 13. The identity card assembly of claim 12, wherein: each saidconnecting element end section has a curved profile and defines an endof said connecting element; and said connecting element is mountedbetween the card unit sections so that the connecting element ends arelocated inward of where said chip or said antenna and are bonded to saidcard unit section and so that the connecting element ends face saidantenna so that the pulling of either said connecting element endsection away from said card unit results in the connecting element endassociated with said end section moving across said antenna so as todisconnect said chip and said antenna or destroy said antenna.
 14. Theidentity card assembly of claim 12, wherein said card unit is formed asa single piece and the card unit sections are separated from each otheralong a fold line.
 15. The identity card assembly of claim 12, whereinat least one of the card unit sections is at least partiallytransparent.
 16. The identity card assembly of claim 12, wherein saidconnecting element is a rigid member that is bonded between said cardunit sections so as to be under tension and so that separation of saidconnecting element results in movement of the said connecting elementend sections that destroys a portion of said antenna adjacent saidconnecting element end sections.
 17. The identity card assembly of claim12, wherein: said chip and said antenna are secured to the face of oneof the card unit sections; and an adhesive layer is disposed over theface of at least one of the card unit sections to bond the card unitsections together and to secure said chip and antenna to the card unitsection.
 18. An identity card assembly comprising: a card unit formed oftwo sections, the sections of said card unit having adjacent faces thatare bonded together by adhesive material; a chip and an antennaconnected to said chip; said chip and said antenna being located betweenthe card unit sections, the antenna comprising two spaced apartsections, each said antenna section having an end terminal; a conductivebar dimensioned to be looped through a clothing aperture, saidconductive bar having spaced apart end sections, wherein each saidconductive bar end section is located between the card unit sections andpositioned to abut a separate one of the antenna end terminals so thatsaid bar connects said antenna sections together and the adhesivematerial that bonds the card unit sections together holds the bar endsections against the antenna end terminals.
 19. The identity cardassembly of claim 18, wherein said card unit is formed as a single pieceand the card unit sections are separated from each other along a foldline.
 20. The identity card assembly of claim 18, wherein at least oneof the card unit sections is at least partially transparent.